A couple of months ago, I was thinking about a few of my favorite posts, and I decided to start a flashback series. The first one that came to mind is the one I wrote about the Goodyear Mansion. “The Life and Times of 888 Delaware Ave” is perhaps my favorite out of the 107 posts I’ve written to date. There are a couple more that rank right up there, but I’ll be writing about them soon. Stay tuned.
I’m fascinated with this house and with the Charles & Ella Goodyear family, with a particular focus on their 888 Delaware Ave years. I seem to keep coming back to them, and this house. (See my post about Bryant Street.)
Now, you might say it’s because my Mother went to school here when it was Bishop McMahon High School. Maybe so. Or my love of history and homes. That’s possible too. Or the way I admire and respect the work of Green & Wicks, the architects who designed the home. That’s certainly true.
Ella and her son, A. Conger attend the wedding of Ella’s granddaughter, Ester Watson, and David Brooks Crane. Photo Credit: Buffalo Courier Express: Jan 16, 1938.
It’s the People
While all of that is part of it, it’s mostly the people who left comments on that first post about the house, and the emails I received from readers, graduates of Bishop McMahon and Oracle Charter School, and others. They numbered in the hundreds and believe it or not, I even heard from a few Goodyear family members! I loved every minute of it. I also got to meet some of the writers of the emails. They were so wonderful! I got to hear all about their own ‘life and times at 888 Delaware’! Which you know I love, because while I like beautiful homes and buildings, what I do is always about the people who live, love, laugh and cry in these buildings.
The story of 888 Delaware Ave has been spectacular thus far. And it’s not over yet.
Progress at the Mansion
A few weeks ago, I headed over to 888 to meet up with Mark Tufillaro, President and COO for Priam Development. There is a lot more going on here than there was last summer!
As I mentioned in the first post, Priam Enterprises had a plan to develop this property into market rate apartments and a boutique hotel. The plan was to convert the additions and the carriage house out back into the apartments, and the actual mansion itself would become the boutique hotel.
The Pandemic
When Covid hit, the plan changed to include corporate apartments in the mansion instead of the boutique hotel, along with the market rate apartments. We all know how the pandemic affected the hospitality industry. So Mark and Priam pivoted, and got to work. I continue to be impressed with the care Mark and his team at Priam show as they restore this historical home. As Mark walked me through the grounds, he peppered our conversation with things like, “This was Ella’s room, and Charles’ would have been here.” “We believe this to be where the servants would have slept.” “We’re not positive, but we think this is where the King and Queen of Belgium stayed while in town.” etc.
Photo Credit: unknown (Wikipedia)
We also had a conversation where we debated the use of some of the third floor rooms (Priam doesn’t have copies of the original plans for the third floor.) I sensed a real interest on Mark’s part in this discussion. I like that about this project. This guy and this company have integrity, and they care about this home.
Let’s Take a Look
I’m going to start by showing you a few of the things that have been uncovered since I wrote the first post. This first photo is out on the original portico, on the north side. It most likely had a light inside the arch, and I’m hoping it will again. The portico will be opened up and used the way it was meant to be used. Note the original tile floor.
The second photo is how the portico originally looked, at the front of the home. Can’t wait to see it when it’s completed!
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
More details being uncovered. This is in what used to be the loggia.
The Entry
Here are a couple of shots of the entryway and the rooms immediately to the right and left of the main entry on the driveway. The ‘Coat Room’ is immediately off to the right when you come in, and the ‘Receiving Room’ is off to the left, just up the stairs. I picture a butler or a footman answering the door, taking visitor’s coats and hats, walking them to the room on the left, and returning to the coat room to hang the wraps.
We really could have used a coat room like this when we were raising our three kids!
And the current view from the top of the stairs.
One of the workers taking a much needed break. They tell me Mark’s a real taskmaster – just kidding!
Below is a current photo of the elevator (that I neglected to include in the first post). That’s right, this home had an elevator, in 1903! Very forward thinking. I was in a well known Buffalo bar/restaurant recently, and there was no elevator for the third floor banquet room. What?! The Goodyears took care of this issue in 1903! Note the woodwork, and what great shape it’s in.
The Hall
As I entered “The Hall” there were workmen about concentrating on the portico room. I was drawn to Karl Bitter’s frieze called “Life” above the fireplace. Look at the molding surrounding it. Spectacular! So grateful that almost all of the woodwork in this house is intact. The photo that follows the ‘today’ photo is from when the Goodyears lived here. The frieze is at the left.
Two things: One, note the heavy brocade curtain between the hall and the entry to the home. The receiving room would be just outside the curtain on the right and the coat room would be down the stairs to the left. Two, a pipe organ in the living room! This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
More photos of the woodwork in the hall. Note the work being done to the ceilings. And, another stained glass window!
The Library
Speaking of stained glass, there is more stained glass in the library.
This is in the library at the southern end of the house. Note that amazing wrought iron. Just above the library shelving at the right of the door is some old wallpaper. It’s not original, and will not be incorporated into the new design of the room.
Check out these next four images. The first two are the library fireplace as the family enjoyed it. Wow! The third is from last summer, and the fourth shows the shelving after being restored to the original look, minus the leaded glass.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
Current condition of the library, above. Note the cement block just outside the one window. Behind it is a loading dock that was added at some point. The loading dock will not be removed, but will be transformed into a patio. Sounds like a good plan.
The Dining Room
These are photos of the dining room. Then and now.
The door on the right leads to Ella’s beloved terrace, which overlooked her garden. The one on the left looks into the hall. There is one more door roughly where this photo was taken from, that leads into the oval breakfast room. Isn’t this amazing?! Note the fireplace and mirror above, and then see below. This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
And now.
In the northeast corner of the dining room.
In the southeast corner of the dining room.
These doors lead to Ella’s terrace and garden, which would have been off to the right. Look at that stained glass!
The Billiard Room
I’m not sure why, but I love this room. I mean, I most likely wouldn’t have been allowed into it back in the day! This would have been the gentlemen’s domain. I’d have been in the library after dinner with all the other women. Or more than likely, given my Polish/Irish roots, I’d have been in the kitchen! Haha.
But I do love this room. It’s the windows. I’m told there will be billiards played in this room again. Yessss! And women will be allowed!
The Kitchen
As an avid fan of anything having to do with ‘upstairs/downstairs’ themes, I was very interested to see the kitchens. Of course, there are no photos of the kitchens from back in the day. Wish there were. But here’s what’s going on there now. The photo below with the dark walls is the room where the actual cooking was done. This room would have had a store room, a kitchen pantry and closets, in addition to the ovens, stove and other storage.
The other photos show the butler’s pantry, where all the china, silver, utensils, serving trays etc. would have been kept, and the servant’s dining hall. There was originally a wall dividing the dining hall and the butler’s pantry.
Let’s Go Upstairs
First, let’s take a look at the stairwell itself. In the first photo, the stairs were covered by carpeting, which is not original. The second photo was taken just a couple of weeks ago. Looking forward to seeing how the stairs turn out once Priam is finished with the restoration!
Photo used courtesy of Laura VR – via Bishop McMahon’s Facebook page.
The original chandelier hangs on a 40 foot chain ready to be put into service again. In this photo, note the work being done on the ceilings on the second floor.
Detail of the wrought iron.
When you turn 180 degrees from the railing above, the photo below is what you’d have seen in the Goodyear days. Not bad for a hallway!
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
The Bedrooms
Let’s take a look at Ella’s room first. It was at the other end of the hall above, and on the left. Through the door to the left of the bed is Ella’s dressing room, pictured in the second photo. Her private bath would have been through the door that is visible between the mirror and fireplace in the dressing room photo.
Ella’s dressing room is one of my favorite rooms in the house, it’s so personal. Look at all the framed photos throughout, including above the fireplace and surrounding her vanity mirror. Wish I could have seen this room when it was like this. Just once, and preferably not because I had just turned down her bed and laid out her bed clothes.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
Below is Ella’s room and dressing room today. The stairs were added when the home was being used as a school, in order to bring the building up to safety codes. What a shame. I mean, I’m really glad the kids were kept safe!! Haha!
This is Charles’ bedroom, below. Then and now. Through the door (closest to the bed) would have been Charles’ private bath and dressing room beyond. Through the door next to the fireplace is Ella’s room.
This room needed extensive work on the floor and ceiling. Water damage?
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
The walls to the right were removed at some point.
Guest Rooms and More…
In these rooms, everything has been stripped back preparing for the real finishing work to bring them closer to their original splendor. A lot of the work thus far has been behind the walls. Time consuming and quite necessary, but it’s not the beautiful stuff to look at. That’s coming.
This photo was obtained by Priam from the Diocese of Buffalo. Used courtesy of Priam.
This room, below, was the women’s sewing room. As you can see, it’s being prepared for finishing work. Check out that molding above the doorway!
Servant’s Quarters
This room is believed to be where most of the servants slept. It would have been set up dormitory style.
Charles’ Office/Study
Charles’ office is not as large as you would think. All wood paneling, very manly. Inside, he also had a half bath, all marble. In fact, all the bathrooms in the house, one for each of eleven bedrooms, plus more, were marble. Each of the eleven bedrooms were all equipped with marble fireplaces as well.
The Part of the Property that is Not the Mansion
The market rate apartments are in the process of being converted. They stand directly where Ella’s garden was out back. From what I hear, they’re going to be beautiful!
Ella in her garden. Photo credit: Bogalusa Story by C.W. Goodyear (Charles’ grandson)
My Impressions
It is so interesting to me to watch this project unfold. Again, I have to say that I am impressed with the integrity of this project and I am looking forward to seeing the finished apartments!
The view from some of the market rate apartments. I’m told this outdoor area will be transformed into an attractive patio. Nice!
Like I mentioned earlier, up to now most of the work is being done ‘behind the walls’. So things aren’t starting to look pretty yet. But the pretty stuff is coming. And it’ll happen somewhat quickly when it does. The care with which this work is being done is amazing. Almost every room in the mansion itself is being restored to its former glory. Not all, of course, but seriously, a lot of it is. As much as we could hope for in an almost 120 year old home.
This photo gives you an idea of the actual size of the dining room. The previous dining room photo made the room appear cozy. Note the fireplace with the mirror above. Photo credit: Bogalusa Story by C.W. Goodyear (Charles’ grandson)
The project is on track to be completed within the first quarter of 2022. That means that soon, there will be a whole host of new people who will experience this home in their own way. Living, loving, laughing and crying their way through their own lives, and leaving their own personal marks on this home. And that’s really what it’s all about.
After I wrote the post about Norwood Ave, I received an email from a reader asking me to write about Bryant Street. It was already on my list, but that email made me put it on the actual schedule. This is why I love getting your emails!
So I set out with a friend to take a morning walk around the Elmwood Village and to check out Bryant Street up close. I admit, driving it is usually how I see it. Which we all know means I don’t really see it.
Bryant Street runs between Main Street and Richmond Ave. I’m going to concentrate on the section between Delaware and Elmwood. I’m not even going to discuss the former Women and Children’s Hospital Building or the new build at the northeast corner of Bryant and Elmwood. Mostly because there is so much going on this street, that I have to limit what to talk about.
That’s probably the hardest part of my job as a blogger. Deciding what not to talk about. Almost every time I publish a post, someone will contact me with additional information about the subject. Most of the time (not always!) I already knew about the info, but had to choose not to include it, because I am under no illusions here.
Basically, if the post is too long, no one will read it. Not joking.
Back to Bryant
Anyways, back to Bryant Street. Bryant has quite a collection of homes from the late 1800s, which is relatively old as the Elmwood Village goes. It’s also got a cul-de-sac that was added in the 1950s with newer homes built between 1956 and 1962! Which is relatively new as the Elmwood Village goes. There are E.B. Green designed apartment houses too! And finally, we’ll visit a family we’ve visited before, back in September of 2020. Come hike with me.
Let’s Take a Look
The corner of Delaware and Bryant is anchored on both sides by apartments, and the addresses are both on Delaware. Both appear to be nice places to live. They’re on one of Buffalo’s best streets in the middle of Millionaire’s Row. The building on the south side of Bryant is simply called 900 Delaware, pictured first. The building on the north side is called Bryant Apartments, shown in the second grouping.
Lovely, both of them. The landscaping at 900 Delaware is stunning and park-like.
At the Bryant Apartments, the wrought iron hooks me! And those lions facing Delaware, wow!
More Homes Along Bryant
There is some question as to when this home (below) was built. The city has it at 1850, but the Elmwood Historic District Registration Application lists it as 1877. That’s a big difference. Makes me wonder if the 1850 home was torn down at some point, and this home built? Real estate ads list it as 1850. Either way, this home has now been broken up into apartments. But you can see what a lovely one family home it must have been. The exterior retains all of the charm of the late 19th century.
According to an article in the Buffalo Courier in March of 1907, E.B. Green purchased this house “to be used as a home”. Regular readers of the blog will recognize that name as one of Buffalo’s most well respected and prolific architects of his day. Cool. I always love to see the kind of homes an architect would choose to purchase.
Please note that I don’t know for sure that ‘the’ E.B. Green moved into this home himself.
And this one, below. Isn’t it great with that bay window that flows right from the first floor into the second floor, in the mansard roof! Sweet. I also really like the window next to it. How unusual!
Next – E.B. Green – Again!
And just across the street are these. When my friend and I came upon them, we were absolutely enchanted. I mean, come on! These are the stuff secret garden stories are written about!
I love everything about these. Including the fact that when I went home, I did a bit of research and learned they were designed by E.B. Green in 1916! It shows. They’re spectacular. And I wonder who does the landscaping – that’s what really makes these stand out. Although, the landscaping provides quite a bit of privacy, you’d really never notice them unless you were on foot!
They were built as townhomes, and all three are still fantastic today! I especially love the wrought iron and the entryways. They make me want to go inside!
Moving Right Along
This home, below, is a double – having separate addresses.
There are a couple of familiar names associated with this house. Buffalo Attorney William B. Hoyt Sr., for one. I found evidence that he was living here in 1894. But here’s another discrepancy. Buffalo city records list this house as being built in 1896. Maybe those records are not exactly accurate, sometimes they’re off a bit, depending on recordkeeping and tax records etc.
Check out this tower with its conical roof and detailing! Lovely!
Also associated with this home is the Hascal Taylor family. Hascal Taylor was the man who commissioned Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan to design the Guaranty Building. But Taylor passed away just before the actual building began, in 1895. The Guaranty Construction Company (the builder who was hired to build it) secured financing and went ahead with construction. Lucky for us they did. Can’t really imagine Buffalo without it!
Anyway, the Taylor family, including Hascal, his wife Louise and three children, Kate, Emory and Jessie, at one time lived on Delaware Ave. However, by 1911 all three children were living in this home on Bryant. Louise had passed away by then as well. Kate passed away in 1911, and Emory and Jessie both followed her in 1913, just a couple of months apart. What a sad story!
And More
This home, below, has an interesting story. One couple who lived here was Mr. & Mrs. John R. Munroe. They came to Buffalo in 1850, from Coniston, England. This home was built in 1900, but it is unclear whether they actually built the home. You see, John was in the construction business, and built many of the Delaware Mansions. So he lived very close to all the homes he helped build. Cool.
When Mrs. Munroe passed away in 1907, the pair were the only living charter members of Westminster Presbyterian Church, which was founded in 1854!
This home, below, was built in 1870! It was listed for sale in 1874, stating that it was nearly new, had marble fireplaces, gas lights throughout, a parlour, a sitting room, library, a large dining room, a kitchen and a wood shed on the first floor, and six sleeping rooms upstairs. Also, a ‘splendid well of water’, and a basement under it all. Sweet!
The lot was listed as ‘102 foot frontage, 192 feet deep with all kinds of the choicest fruits growing’. There’s something you wouldn’t see in a real estate ad today!
Also, if this lot was that wide in 1874, it would make sense that this was the first home in this little section. There are three other homes that are probably also on the original lot, which were sectioned off and sold at some point. Very, very interesting.
Next, below, which I believe to be on the original property of the Monroe family, is interesting indeed. This is where my friend said, “I have never even noticed the driveway, or the garage! I need to slow down and start noticing things!” This is why walking is good. You see more!
It’s at this home that I met Jill, who has lived here for eighteen years. She loves the house, and the neighborhood. She says the garage addition was added in the late 1950’s or possibly 1960. I’m sure it’s a very convenient addition to the home! Love your rock collection, Jill!
And These Three
This home is charming. Check out the arched window in the pediment on the porch! The oval leaded glass window, and the dormers add even more charm!
This is the last home on the north side of the street, above, before running into the former Women and Children’s Hospital, which was moved to the Medical Campus on Ellicott Street and renamed Oishei Children’s Hospital. The former hospital is slated for massive renovations, including residential, educational, retail, hospitality and public spaces. The Elmwood Village and the residents of Bryant and Hodge Streets await this project moving forward.
Crossing the Street
Crossing the street at Oakland Place I notice a home on Bryant, to my left, below. I’ve never noticed this house before. It’s a double that appears to be in fantastic shape. It’s got everything you could possibly want, including that upper deck to watch the sunset while grilling up something scrumptious. Just sayin. It’s a great house!
This home, below is actually on Oakland Place and is almost completely private thanks to the trees!
Across Oakland Place is a home that has it’s address on Bryant Street, according to the city. But used to have an Oakland Place address, and appears to still have that address affixed to the home. It’s visible in this photo below. To me, it faces Oakland Place, and I believe it’s the address that is currently being used. Not sure why this kind of thing happens, but I’ve seen it before. It is a beautiful home, yes?!
And a set of triplets, below. I’ve seen this before too, where there are three homes built in a neighborhood like this, and they’re all the same house. Executed somewhat differently, but essentially the same. Take a look. All three are very well done and have been maintained well!
Next Up, Two Apartment Buildings
I would live in either of these. Reminiscent of New Orleans, these apartment buildings are fabulous. They’ve both had their porches restored, and they’re magnificent! Yes, I’d live in either one, but only if I could have one of the front apartments that include a porch! You all know how I love a good porch! And these are some of the best in Buffalo!
Of course, the view from these porches is the old hospital. Would have been okay back in the day, but now? Not so much. (Let’s go Ellicott Development Company and Sinatra Real Estate.)
And Three More
This first one is having work done on the porch. It seems they’re having structural issues. I like to see a homeowner taking care of this kind of thing before it’s too late to save it. This is a great home, curious little railing over the second floor window. Love the shingles and detailing on the peak. The landscaping is pretty nice too!
This one is pretty, below, but I wish we could see more of it. I like the large eaves, and look at the details above the double hung window. Beautiful!
And this one, below, is intriguing. I love the wrought iron, especially on the windows at the front. From the street, the (former) openings on the side of the building itself don’t appear to have been wide enough for carriages, but then, what are they? And if they were originally for carriages, why four of them in addition to the two garages?
After a little research, I found that this home used to be a dress shop which opened in 1928. It was Tucker’s Dress Shop, owned by Frank Tucker. The openings were most likely display windows! The shop catered to ‘a higher class’ according to their advertisements and held their own with the likes of the JN Adam Co., The Sample Dress Shop, and Flint & Kent. Cool!
I’d love to time travel to shop in any one of those stores in 1928. When, oh when, will time travel be a thing?!
This is the last home on the street before Elmwood Ave and is across from a new, mixed-use building going up on the northeast corner of Bryant and Elmwood. I like the look of the plan for this building, but I’m not sure the Elmwood Village needs many more of these. Time will tell.
Now, let’s get to that family I mentioned at the beginning of the post.
The Goodyears
Back in September of 2020, I wrote a post about the Goodyear Mansion on Delaware Ave. Bryant street is just around the corner from that home/turned school/now turning into an apartment building. Here on Bryant, we’ve got the chance to meet up with our old friends the Goodyears and their various homes. It’s a great story.
Remember Ella Goodyear, wife of lumber/railroad tycoon Charles Goodyear, and their four children, A. Conger, Esther, Charles Jr and Bradley? Well, Ella arranged to purchase or build homes for three of the four that backed up to her own home and extensive grounds on Delaware Ave. I couldn’t find any evidence that Bradley (the youngest Goodyear child) ever lived on Bryant or Oakland Place. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t.
Photo Credit: Bogalusa Story by C.W. Goodyear
First Up
Let’s start with this one, below. It’s not actually on Bryant. It’s on Oakland Place around the corner. But it used to be on Bryant. Specifically, at 178. (That number is no longer used on Bryant.) Ella purchased the house in 1911 or 1912. She had it lifted up, turned, and moved into its final resting spot on Oakland Place, where she already owned a plot of land adjacent to her own home.
Yard work being done here at the former Goodyear home.
Charles and Grace (Rumsey) Goodyear Jr. spent the first part of their marriage in Louisiana, while Charles oversaw Goodyear lumber interests there. But Grace insisted on returning to Buffalo in 1911. Her family was also a prominent Buffalo family and she wanted to return to her roots here. They moved into the Oakland Place home, above. Ella had it transferred into Grace’s name. There, they stayed for ten years.
When Charles and Grace moved into a newly completed home on Bryant Street (below), Grace returned the home to Ella, who rented it out for a while, before transferring ownership to her daughter Esther in 1936.
The new home on Bryant is beautiful. The Tudor styling is unique on Bryant, and the use of stone here is fantastic! I love the windows!
Sad to Report
Sadly, the home on Bryant Street (above) was not a happy one for Charles Jr. and Grace. Charles had an affair with Marion Spaulding, wife of Stephan Van Rensselaer (SVR, as he was known) Spaulding Sr., also members of Buffalo ‘society’. By 1935, the two had divorced their spouses, and married each other. Needless to say, this was cause for great scandal among the upper echelon of Buffalo society at the time.
Whenever I think of it, I wonder how Ella felt about it. I’d like to have known her actual personality. It’s so hard to know by just reading about a person.
A. Conger Goodyear Home on Bryant
Anson Conger Goodyear, eldest son of Ella and Charles, lived in this home (below) with his wife, Mary Foreman. The couple bought and tore down a home on Bryant Street, and in its place built this home in the photo below, in 1908.
A. Conger is perhaps best known as a founder and the first president of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. He and Mary divorced in 1928. Both ended up near, or in New York City, and both eventually remarried. But this was their home for many years.
It’s a duplex now. It’s certainly large enough! The brick wall that runs the length of the property is imposing as you walk by. The irregular shaped openings in the brick reveal it is three bricks wide. Which is actually four bricks wide, when you take into account the Flemish bonding, the turning of some of the bricks in a pattern. Seems like a bit of overkill, but I do like the wall!
Arnold and Esther Goodyear Watson’s Home
Ella’s daughter Esther married Arnold Watson. Together in this home, below, they raised three daughters, Ellen Portia (Ella), Esther, and Ann. This is quite a large home, and according to census records it was used, at least in later years, by Esther and Arnold as a boarding house. It appears that this is now a two, or possibly three family home. It’s certainly large enough. Very interesting.
It sure is beautiful. The entryway is gorgeous! The windows are great, with their splayed brick lintels and keystones. I love a good row of dormers with original windows as well. And look at the wrought iron above the entryway. Love it!
Let’s talk about the backyard of this home. You see, Ella got her wish to surround herself with most of her children and even some of her grandchildren. Her granddaughter Ellen Portia (named for her) moved into the home on Oakland Place, with it’s property backing up to Ella’s mansion on Delaware.
Just a side note: Ellen married SVR Spaulding Jr, son of SVR and Marion Spaulding, who had the affair and eventually married Charles Jr. Wonder if Ella went to the wedding. I hope she did.
So anyway, the backyard of Esther and Arnold’s home was extensive and connected with Ella’s mansion on Delaware and the Goodyear home on Oakland Place.
St. Georges Square
But that all changed in the 1950s. I haven’t been able to discern when or how the Goodyear ‘estate’ that the family created by piecing together all these properties was broken up and eventually changed hands. But in the 1950s, developer Hugh Perry teamed up with architect Gordon Hayes to create St. George’s Place.
St. George’s Place is a cul-de-sac that runs south of Bryant in between A. Conger Goodyear and Esther Goodyear Watson’s two homes. It fills the area that was Esther’s extensive backyard, which was massive by city standards and now that I think about it, most suburban standards as well.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that most people don’t even know that this place exists. It’s like walking off a city street and into a far flung neighborhood in Clarence. I say that because the Colonial Style homes that are on St. George’s Place remind me of the home of a friend of mine from high school, who lived in Clarence. And the homes on her street were just like the homes on St. George’s place.
Let’s See Them
When you look at these photos, remember that you’re in the middle of the city.
Pretty.
And it’s quiet here. You feel as if you’re in a little development in the country.
Stately.
A little vanilla for my taste. All the homes but one, are white. Almost all have black trim.
Like a country farmhouse.
I’m told by a workman nearby that these homes and three others on Bryant (the Goodyear homes?) are all part of a homeowner’s association (HOA). All the landscaping is included. The landscaping for the summer is not yet completed, at least not last week when I shot these photos. The landscapers were there working on the homes on Bryant though, and St. Georges Square was to be next. If the homes on Bryant were any indication, it will be a beautiful summer here.
It sort of makes me wonder though. I didn’t see anyone out on St. Georges Square. Wish I could have met a few neighbors. Then again, this is such a private area, maybe they want it that way, and wouldn’t like to meet me. Hope I’m wrong.
This Dutch Colonial is my personal favorite on St. George’s Place.
Colonial Williamsburg
Hugh Perry and Gordon Hayes designed this cul-de-sac to capitalize on Colonial Williamsburg as a popular vacation destination of the 1950s. The purchasers of the properties had to agree to build some variety of a Colonial dwelling on the land. They’ve succeeded. This certainly seems like what I know to have been extremely popular among white, upper middle class people in the 1950s and 60s.
In this case though, there was no need to actually leave the city to keep the riff-raff out. They only needed a “Private Road” sign. It seems to be still working today, because you know I’m not afraid to go anywhere. But I asked my friend to come with me specifically on this walk to give me the confidence to walk past that private road sign and on to that city street and take a look around. (I’ve never actually seen anyone walk in there.)
I’m trying to be positive here. But I would much, much rather live on Bryant Street than in St. Georges Square. That’s just me, though. I know there are an awful lot of people who would love to live here, and that’s good, I guess. Like my Grandmother used to say, “If we were all alike, think how boring life would be.” Indeed.
My Impressions
Did I say at the beginning of this post that there’s a lot going on here? So much! Between E.B. Green buying one of the homes and the townhomes he designed here, all the amazing apartments, some of the homes and their stories, and the Goodyears! Wow.
I admit I’ve become fascinated with the Goodyear family. When I wrote the piece back in September about the Goodyear mansion on Delaware, I got a little taste of the family. After coming here to Bryant, I feel like I’ve gone down the proverbial rabbit hole. Somehow, I’m going to have to fit in some more reading about them. My interest is piqued!
I met several people on the street while hiking here. Two homeowners who were friendly and love the street. A few people who were walking, or walking their dogs, who don’t live on Bryant, but live nearby. One of them, I actually walked the length of the street and chatted with. Very nice lady. Two men who were working on the porch of the yellow house. They’re the ones who told me that the apartment houses just had their porches re-done (they did the work, and a fine job they did!). And one very friendly landscaper who told me what he knew about the old Goodyear land and St. Georges Square.
St. Georges Square
I’ve got to tell you, I’ve been wanting to see this street for so long now, that I have to admit, it was a bit of a letdown. I expected it to be fantastic, because of the “Private Road” sign near Bryant Street. That type of thing evokes visions of a fabulous “private estate” or some such thing. As if wishing for privacy means there is something worth keeping private. Are they nice homes? Yes. To be sure.
But, having been born a Mika, when someone tells one of us not to do something, we immediately want to do it. It’s in our genes. Like when we see a “private road” sign, we immediately think there’s something amazing to be seen on the other side of it. Turns out, in this case, it was somewhat anticlimactic. Nice homes, in an even nicer location.
Here’s what I’ve learned from Bryant Street, it’s much the same as I’ve learned on every other street I’ve written about. Go out and take a look for yourself. Don’t trespass on private property, but go see what you want to see. Talk to the neighbors on the street. Talk to homeowners you see outside while you’re walking. A long time ago, I heard a quote I’ll never forget. “Communication is the key to better understanding and mutual confidence.”
So true. The more we communicate with each other (in person) the better off we’ll all be. Take a walk. Do some communicating with your fellow Buffalonians.
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